Ethical Dilemmas in Software Engineering

Ethical concerns are not unusual in any engineering field. However, people are sometimes surprised to learn that a failure to follow proper software engineering procedures can result in serious consequences or even the loss of life. The focus of this assignment is to help you understand the role of ethics and professional codes of ethics in the field of software engineering and computer science. You will familiarize yourself with a professional code of ethics and then identify a situation in which the ethics were violated and the repercussions.

Preparation Steps:

• Read the Association of Computing Machinery’s (ACM) Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice (http://www.acm.org/about/se-code)
• Identify a situation involving ethical dilemmas and software engineering. You can either look at news sites such as ACM TechNews or you can research into one of the well-known historial examples mentioned on the list of failures hall of fame (must be real, no Jurassic Park!)

Specific guidelines for formatting and language in the paper: •    3 pages, single spaced

• 1 inch for top and bottom margins; 1.25 inches for sides • Times New Roman 12-point font
• Include references where appropriate
• You must use clear English and grammar. Avoid slang and derogatory language. • Avoid plagiarism (see UWF’s plagiarism policy if there are any questions)

Content of the assignment (you must answer the following questions):

• What was the ethical dilemma(s) that was faced in the article? Why is it an ethical dilemma? Were there multiple and who faced them?
• How would the three different ethical frameworks (consequentialist, duty, and virtue) have resolved the dilemma?

o Make sure to discuss consequences in terms of personal (e.g., yourself and immediate family), community (e.g., organization), and global (e.g., users and world)

• Out of the three, which would you most agree with and why? You may agree with multiple but you should present your reasons.
• What does the code of ethics say should be done to address the dilemma(s) and which of the three frameworks does the code of ethics align with?
• How would you address the problem? What are the good and bad aspects of your decision?

You should elaborate on each answer in detail. Remember that this is expected to be a written essay, so it should be tied together and not written in a question and answer format.